Publications

• Daly, Aoife; Kimball, Justin & Bill, Jan (2025). A Revision of the Dendrochronological Date of the Grønhaug Ship–and its Methodological and Interpretational Implications. Norwegian Archaeological Review. ISSN 0029-3652. 58(1), p. 71–94. doi: 10.1080/00293652.2025.2510920. Full text in Research Archive
• Levine, Evan I.; Indgjerd, Hallvard; Samdal, Magne & Kristensen, Steinar (2025). High-resolution drone lidar for Mediterranean archaeology: point classification, feature detection, and the potential for cultural heritage management. Journal of Greek Archaeology (JGA). ISSN 2059-4674. 10, p. 164–184. doi: 10.32028/jga.v10i.3350. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The introduction of airborne laser scanning (ALS) or lidar into the archaeologist’s ever-expanding toolkit has profoundly impacted our understanding of premodern landscapes. Most notably used for the detection of archaeological sites in densely vegetated environments, airborne lidar has been an effective tool for recording the surface topography of a landscape beneath the upper canopies of forests or jungles. While the collection of aerial lidar data for archaeology has traditionally required significant funding and collaboration with specialist firms, recent developments in lightweight and affordable sensors mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones have increased access to lidar data collection. With drone lidar, archaeologists can now capture smaller areas of interest at much higher resolutions than traditional airborne lidar, enabling precise and efficient documentation of landscapes with complex topography or ephemeral archaeological features. With readily available lidar sensors and medium-payload consumer drones, archaeologists are now able to bring lidar data from new regions into dialogue with more established zones of lidar-based research. Additionally, the higher resolution afforded by low-altitude flights and direct control over data collection enables archaeologists to explore innovative applications of aerial lidar and pose new questions about premodern landscapes.

• Campbell, Rosie; Floquet, Marie; Indgjerd, Hallvard R; Boyd, Michael J & Renfrew, Colin (2025). Building blocks between past and present: Perspectives from a holistic 3D GIS-based intra-site excavation archive. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. ISSN 2352-409X. 69. doi: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105522. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper summarises the development and showcases the uses of a 3D GIS-based tool used by the Keros Project in our work at the Early Bronze Age site of Dhaskalio, Keros. While reflexivity and born-digital tools were built into the design of the more recent 2016–2018 excavations, the earlier 2006–2008 seasons were limited to the techniques available at the time. This has led us to address how to appropriately integrate older non-natively digital excavation material into an extensive 3D environment in a way in which specialist and artefact data, stratigraphic information and architectural material can appropriately be analysed together and made accessible to team members in a single environment. The extrapolation of photogrammetric models and orthomosaics from archival excavation photos from the 2006–2008 seasons, and incorporation of 3D finds and specialist data has been a key challenge. The synthesis of old and new data from a project archive based on disparate sources in such a 3D environment has offered many benefits: first, a contribution to the role of reflexivity in excavation practices and site interpretation, and second, a better comprehension of the site overall, especially from an architectural perspective. In particular, bringing together 3D models of building remains which had been backfilled, and were thus inaccessible to those working in the most recent excavations, has been invaluable to our understanding of the site. Furthermore, such work has facilitated the production of new data in 3D reconstructions of the different occupation phases. This paper addresses some of the methodological and theoretical issues faced when attempting to incorporate such diverse data into a single access point, in particular with reference to 3D data, in the hope of continuing a dialogue on best practices for long-term single project archives in a period of increasingly born-digital data.

• Levitan, Rebecca; Levine, Evan; Athanasoulis, Demetrios; Legaki, Irini; Paga, Jessica & Campbell, Rosie [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2025). An interdisciplinary workflow for the comprehensive study of ancient quarried landscapes. Antiquity. ISSN 0003-598X. 99(408), p. 1677–1690. doi: 10.15184/aqy.2025.10212. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Quarries are information-rich anthropic landscapes, but their unique characteristics often limit the effectiveness of traditional archaeological documentation strategies. Here, the authors present a novel interdisciplinary method for the documentation and analysis of these landscapes, focusing on two ancient marble quarries on the Mediterranean island of Naxos. The workflow, combining lidar, photogrammetry, sculptural and architectural study, geoscience, ecological study and archaeological survey, provides a means for the systematic documentation of quarry landscapes in the Mediterranean and beyond, and aims to promote an understanding of premodern extractive activities not as isolated occurrences but as important aspects of interconnected, evolving landscapes.

• Solheim, Steinar; Zilmer, Kristel; Zawalska, Judyta; Vasshus, Krister S.K.; Sand-Eriksen, Anette & Kimball, Justin [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). Inscribed sandstone fragments of Hole, Norway: radiocarbon dates provide insight into rune-stone traditions. Antiquity. ISSN 0003-598X. 99(404), p. 422–439. doi: 10.15184/aqy.2024.225. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The development of runic writing (the early Germanic alphabetic script) and the practice of inscribing runes on stone are difficult to trace, particularly as rune-stone inscriptions are rarely found in original and/or datable contexts. The discovery of several inscribed sandstone fragments at the grave field at Svingerud, Norway, with associated radiocarbon dates of 50 BC–AD 275, now provide the earliest known context for a runestone. An unusual mixture of runes and other markings are revealed as the fragments are reconstructed into a single standing stone, suggesting multiple episodes of inscription and providing insight into early runic writing practices in Iron Age Scandinavia.

• Richter, Tobias; Yeomans, Lisa & Pantos, George Alexis (2025). Making spaces amongst the rocks: The construction, purpose and meaning of Late epipalaeolithic and PPNA buildings in the Harrat ash-Sham. Archaeological Research in Asia. ISSN 2352-2267. 41. doi: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100603. Full text in Research Archive
• Bargfeldt, Niels; Indgjerd, Hallvard; Letteney, Mark; Levine, Evan; Levitan, Rebecca & Reiss, Naomi [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Materiality of Incarceration in Mediterranean Antiquity: The Prison Project (2023–2026). Early Christianity. ISSN 1868-7032. 15(4), p. 545–565. doi: 10.1628/ec-2024-0027. Full text in Research Archive
• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2024). Archaeological Perspectives on the Norwegian-Dutch Timber Trade (1500–1700 CE). International Journal of Historical Archaeology. ISSN 1092-7697. doi: 10.1007/s10761-024-00758-2. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Dutch Republic heavily relied on imported timber for the construction of its cities, dikes, and ships. This timber originated from the Baltic Sea, the German Rhineland, and the "Little East," but primarily from the coastal areas of southern Norway. This article examines the archaeological remains of the timber trade between the Dutch Republic and Norway, emphasizing the study of material culture recovered from archaeological excavations and dendrochronology to complement historical sources from the era.

• Kimball, Justin; With, Ruben & Rødsrud, Christian Løchsen (2024). A new and ‘riveting’ method: Micro-CT scanning for the documentation, conservation, and reconstruction of the Gjellestad ship. Journal of Cultural Heritage. ISSN 1296-2074. 66, p. 76–85. doi: 10.1016/j.culher.2023.11.003. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The cultural heritage sector has increasingly explored the use of micro-CT (µCT) across numerous projects seeking to better understand past cultures and the materials they have left behind. As such, the role of micro-CT (µCT) is still being developed and projects continue to show novel ways that the technology can be adapted to. The Gjellestad ship, located in Halden (Østfold in Viken), Norway, is dated to the Viking Age and was found in a poor state of preservation. Both organic and metallic materials were deteriorated to the degree that standard excavation methods would have resulted in further damage to, or even the destruction of, these elements. A new approach was needed, and this presented an opportunity to explore the use for µCT as a documentative tool for field archaeology and conservation. As the remaining rivets were too fragile to handle directly, they were removed together with the surrounding matrix as soil blocks. To retain important stratigraphic and position information, a georeferencing system was developed that would be visible to µCT and included within each soil block. This enabled the spatial (re)positioning of the soil blocks by use of 3D GIS and in alongside with other spatial documentation gathered at the time of excavation. The quantity of soil blocks will give us a large dataset to work with and, although we continue to document the soil blocks with µCT, we now can discuss our preliminary results pertaining to the positive impact that µCT has for the documentation, conservation, and reconstruction of cultural heritage.

• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2024). Applying 3D stratigraphic reconstruction to a large rescue archaeology site. A case study of the medieval and early modern submarine topography in Oslo, Norway. Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage. 34. doi: 10.1016/j.daach.2024.e00357. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The site B8b in Oslo, Norway, measured over 10,000 cubic metres and was excavated by the Norwegian Maritime Museum (NMM) and the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU) in 2022–2023. This paper presents the workflow for the 3D reconstruction of the stratigraphic phases on NMM's part of the site. The challenges that come with 3D reconstructing a site of this size are discussed and compared to other sites where 3D stratigraphic reconstruction has been attempted. For this study, solid meshes of the stratigraphy were created in Blender, then integrated with other excavation data in ArcGIS PRO. The 3D dataset of the stratigraphy was subsequently used for analysing the inclination of the former seafloor and the relationship between the site's stratigraphy and finds such as a late medieval boat wreck.

• Campbell, Rosie; Boyd, Michael; Herbst, James; Indgjerd, Hallvard; Meyer, Nathan & Renfrew, Colin (2024). A holistic solution for the analysis of excavation and specialist data in a 3D GIS framework. Journal of Greek Archaeology (JGA). ISSN 2059-4674. 9, p. 47–64. doi: 10.32028/jga.v9i. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper seeks to summarise the development and showcase the uses of a 3D GIS-based tool used by the Keros Project in our work at the Early Bronze Age site of Dhaskalio, Keros. While reflexivity and born-digital tools were built into the design of the 2016-2018 excavations, 1 the issue of how appropriately to use, analyse and make accessible the vast quantities of digital data, especially the over one thousand 3D SFM photogrammetric models, came to the forefront of the post-excavation programme. This tool aims to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for the interpretation of the excavation, including multi-layered 3D views of the site and all geo-located data resulting both from the excavation and from subsequent specialist studies. This is a true 3D GIS system, encapsulating all the abilities of a traditional GIS, including data entry, database management, data analysis and manipulation, while giving access to all excavation and specialist data within a single platform, making the tool data-driven and research-oriented.

• Katsianis, Markos; Bruseker, George; Nenova, Denitsa; Marlet, Olivier; Hivert, Florian & Hiebel, Gerald [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2023). Semantic Modelling of Archaeological Excavation Data. A review of the current state of the art and a roadmap of activities. Internet Archaeology. doi: 10.11141/ia.64.12. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Archaeological data repositories usually manage excavation data collections as project-level entities with restricted capacities to facilitate search or aggregation of excavation data at the sub-collection level (trenches, finds, season reports or excavation diaries etc.). More granular access to excavation data collections would enable layered querying across their informational content. In the past decade, several attempts to adapt CIDOC CRM in order to provide more explicit descriptions of the excavation universe have resulted in the use of domain-specific model extensions (e.g. CRMarchaeo, CRMsci, CRMba). Each focuses on corresponding aspects of the excavation research process, while their combined usage has potential to support expressive data mappings at the sub-collection level. As part of the ARIADNEplus project, several CIDOC CRM developers and domain experts have collaborated to undertake conceptual mapping exercises, to address the practicalities of bringing excavation data descriptions together and to link these to our overall aspirations in terms of excavation data discoverability and reusability. In this contribution, we discuss the current state and future directions of the field of semantic representation of archaeological excavation data and consider several issues that constrain the applicability of existing solutions. We identify five key enabling technologies or research areas (Conceptual models and semantic data structures, Conceptual modelling patterns, Data mapping workflows and tools, Learning technologies and Semantic queries) and assign readiness levels to assess their level of technological maturity. Our research demonstrates that while the existing models and domain-specific extensions are deemed adequate, there is a need for more user-friendly methods and tools to structure data in meaningful and interoperable ways. The next steps involve consolidating relevant semantic structures, improving modelling implementation guidance, adhering to consistent workflows, developing engaging curricula, and documenting real-case examples to demonstrate the benefits and results of semantic data integration.

• Uleberg, Espen; Matsumoto, Mieko; Pantos, George Alexis & Bonelli, Letizia (2023). Toward Standardised Vocabularies for Norwegian Archaeology. Internet Archaeology. 64. doi: 10.11141/ia.64.7. Full text in Research Archive
• Arranz-Otaegui, Amaia; Pedersen, Patrick Nørskov; Schmidt, Ann Frijda; Jörgensen-Lindahl, Anne; Roe, Joe & Villemoes, Johan [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2023). Identifying the chaîne opératoire of club-rush (Bolboschoenus glaucus (Lam.) S.G.Sm) tuber exploitation during the Early Natufian in the Black Desert (northeastern Jordan). Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. ISSN 2352-409X. 47. doi: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103677. Full text in Research Archive
• Indgjerd, Hallvard (2022). . . . διά νήσων πλέειν  . . . Taking the Island Route: Trade and Exchange Along the Coast of Southern Naxos. In Lampinen, Antti & Ferrándiz, Emilia Mataix (Ed.), Seafaring and Mobility in the Late Antique Mediterranean. Bloomsbury Academic. ISSN 9781350201705. doi: 10.5040/9781350201736.ch-005. Full text in Research Archive
• Pantos, George Alexis (2022). Negotiating the Past in a Joined up World: The Role and Implications of Collaborative Production and Integrated Data Systems in Archaeological Reconstruction. In Watrall, Ethan & Goldstein, Lynne (Ed.), Digital Heritage and Archaeology in Practice: Presentation, Teaching, and Engagement. University Press of Florida. ISSN 9780813069319. p. 207–236. Full text in Research Archive
• Boyd, Michael; Campbell, Rosie; Doonan, Rodger; Douglas, Catherine; Gavalas, Georgios & Gkouma, Myrsini [Show all 17 contributors for this article] (2021). Open Area, Open Data: Advances in Reflexive Archaeological Practice. Journal of Field Archaeology. ISSN 0093-4690. 46(2), p. 62–80. doi: 10.1080/00934690.2020.1859780. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article presents a holistic and reflexive process for archaeological fieldwork from inception to publication. The opportunities afforded by maturing digital techniques allowed fundamental rethinking of field and laboratory practice paradigms. A number of normally unquestioned aspects of archaeological praxis were examined with the goal of reorganizing information dynamics. Instead of a series of disparate processes in the field and field laboratory and during study and publication phases, a heterarchically-organized common information framework bonded all aspects of work traditionally only brought together in post-excavation processing, replacing disparate datasets and encompassing ongoing processes such as excavation recording, finds processing, and final analyses. Recording uses a common interface based on the iDig iPad app, and analyses use 3D GIS, based on comprehensive photogrammetry and an underlying all-encompassing data engine. The development and application of the process are described with reference to the excavations, study, and publication of EBA sites on Keros, Cyclades, Greece.

• Matsumoto, Mieko & Uleberg, Espen (2021). Curation of Digital Archaeological Data in Norway, Internet Archaeology. 58. doi: 10.11141/ia.58.29. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Archaeological documentation from surveys and excavations in Norway are created by a limited number of actors. Excavations are mainly carried out by the five university museums. NIKU (Norwegian Institute for Cultural Research) is responsible for excavations of medieval cities and churches. Maritime museums excavate in lakes, rivers, and below past and present sea level. Archaeological surveys are mainly the responsibility of the counties. Riksantikvaren (Directorate of National Heritage) is responsible for the national Historic Environment Records (HER), Askeladden, which offers the possibility to upload or insert links to reports from archaeological investigations. Riksantikvaren also archives excavation documentation from churches and medieval cities. The Norwegian university museums have, since the 1990s, cooperated on digitising a national repository and making the collections available online. Presently there are also repositories at the maritime museums, Riksantikvaren and the counties. The infrastructure ADED (Archaeological Digital Excavation Documentation) is a repository for detailed excavation documentation, and the BItFROST infrastructure project contributes to better storage and availability of 3D data. Future development will be more complete national databases, and towards closer international cooperation, creating better integration and availability of several repositories.

• Uleberg, Espen & Matsumoto, Mieko (2020). Display Matters? Enhanced Visualisation of Norwegian Neolithic Landscapes. In Glover, Jeffrey B.; Moss, Jessica & Rissold, Dominique (Ed.), Digital Archaeologies, Material Worlds (Past and Present). Tübingen University Press. ISSN 9783947251148. doi: 10.15496/publikation-43233. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The paper explores enhanced visualisation of site distribution, with the purpose of understanding shifts in landscape preferences from Middle to Late Neolithic in East Norway. It includes single finds and artefacts from excavations, and the criteria are spatiotemporal accuracy related to the scale of analysis. The representativity of the dataset is evaluated. The artefacts are seen as a Poincaré set that describes the nonlinear system of movement and tasks in the prehistoric landscape. This gives a different approach to the study of site distributions that are results of single events performed in a continuous time and space. This Poincaré set is visualised as find densities in landscape subregions. Archaeological periods are used as temporal scale levels, while landscape subregions, defined through a holistic landscape categorisation, are applied as the spatial scale level.

• Uleberg, Espen & Matsumoto, Mieko (2019). Georeferencing museum collections. In Doerr, Martin; Eide, Øyvind; Grønvik, Oddrun & Kjelsvik, Bjørghild (Ed.), Humanists and the digital toolbox. Novus Forlag. ISSN 9788283900125. p. 111–134. Full text in Research Archive
• Ore, Christian-Emil Smith & Uleberg, Espen (2019). The ADED project - a Norwegian infrastructure for excavation data. In Niccolucci, Franco & Richards, Julian (Ed.), The ARIADNE impact. Archaeolingua. ISSN 9786155766312. p. 123–134. Full text in Research Archive
• Indgjerd, Hallvard (2018). Ceramics as an indicator of building chronology at Kastro Apalirou: Preliminary observations. In Crow, James & Hill, David (Ed.), Naxos and the Byzantine Aegean: Insular Responses to Regional Change. The Norwegian Institute at Athens. ISSN 9789608514577. p. 145–154. Full text in Research Archive
• Liestøl, Gunnar; Bjørkli, Birgitte; Ledas, Sarunas; Stenarson, Tomas & Uleberg, Espen (2018). Archaeology and Augmented Reality. Visualizing Stone Age Sea Level on Location. In Matsumoto, Mieko & Uleberg, Espen (Ed.), Oceans of Data Proceedings of the 44th Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology. Archaeopress. ISSN 9781784917319. p. 367–376. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  When interpreting and disseminating the localisation of Stone Age sites along the rugged coast of Norway, it is always pertinent to include knowledge about sea level at the time the various sites were in use. This is important for archaeological surveying and excavation, as well as mediation to the public at large. When one finds oneself on a Stone Age site a kilometre inland and in the thick of a dark forest, it is not easy to imagine what the place actually looked like six thousand years earlier when the site was in use by Neolithic people, and was part of a coastline exposed to the open sea. How can we take advantage of the current state-of-the-art in location-based media and mobile augmented reality in order to bring dynamic visualizations of the ancient landscape into the hands of both archaeologists and interested visitors? In this article, we report on the development and testing of a situated simulation where the user can move around in a given landscape and view a parallel simulation of the sea level from pre-historic times up to the present on a smartphone or tablet. The application uses an indirect augmented reality solution and the sea level/time-period can be altered continuously. When approaching a surveyed and/or excavated site, one can also observe its extent and via spatially positioned hypertext links, access the online databases for multimodal information about the findings. The prototype runs on iOS and has been tested with a small group of visitors on location. The article concludes with a discussion of the user evaluation and suggestions for further work.

View all works in NVA

• Uleberg, Espen & Matsumoto, Mieko (2018). Exploring Oceans of Data. Archaeopress. ISBN 9781784917302. 400 p. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2026). Rasterbasert 3D-opptegning av bergkunst. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Fysisk oppmaling eller kritting av bergkunst i Norge avvikles. Dette skaper behov for alternative løsninger for å gjøre bergkunsten synlig for dokumentasjon, forskning og formidling. Innenfor FoU-prosjektet «Digital oppmaling av bergkunst i 3D» utvikler Kulturhistorisk museum sammen med Østfold fylkeskommune en digital arbeidsflyt for å lage virtuelle krittinger. Presentasjonen tar for seg den delen av arbeidsflyten som gjelder bruk av 2,5D-data fra 3D-skanning og fotogrammetri, behandlet i en GIS-pipeline.

• Brouns, Francis; Rusman, Ellen; Firssova, Olga; Waagen, Jitte; Feuser, Stefan & Jacobs, Hanna [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2026). Students’ Perspectives on and Experiences with Seamless Learning Scenarios for Virtual Worlds in Archaeology and Arts History. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Re-constructing the past through interpretation of historical and cultural artefacts and material knowledge is inherent to teaching and learning in domains such as archaeology and arts history. Students need to acquire knowledge and skills to deal with past and present contexts, for example develop analysis and excavation skills as well as applying historical and natural science knowledge (Barbara, 2022; Pollalis et al., 2018). Although students gain understanding and insights on artefacts, buildings, sites, and landscapes from paper-based information - text, photographs, images -, the subject matter is inherently three-dimensional (3D) and material. While some of the sites, structures, objects and artefacts are still available, it is not always possible or feasible to view or handle these. In addition, students need to acquire (inter)disciplinary and collaboration skills when dealing with many aspects of the domain, such as materiality of objects, to understand the way people lived and worked in the past (US department of the interior, 2025). In short, these are complex domains in which students – in particular novice students – may face some learning issues. The advances in technology enable the use of virtual reality and 3D models to potentially counter issues or improve learning. Visualisations of archaeological sites, structures, objects and materials and the use of virtual environments can offer benefits for teaching and learning (DiNatale et al., 2020). In the ‘Virtual Worlds in Teaching Archaeology’ project we investigated if virtual worlds in which students can reconstruct historical and cultural practices and that facilitate action, interaction and knowledge development of the past, could assist in teaching and stimulate learning. We used the seamless learning design approach for embedding virtual worlds into teaching and learning about archaeology. Seamless learning design (Looi et al., 2012; Rusman, 2019; Rusman et al., 2024) is an active learning approach that applies technology to support learning process(ess) in as well as across contexts. As archaeologists through their occupation naturally move through and participate in a range of contexts, for example between a physical excavation site, an (online) library with 3D-models or literature and museum, this learning design approach was deemed particularly feasible in the Virtual Worlds for Learning and Teaching in Archaeology project. Context as understood within the Seamless Learning Design (SLD) paradigm refers to the mental models people create through interaction within an environment and which are partly influenced by the emotional state of the learner. Context is not ‘automatically’ there, but is actively created by learners through their (inter)action within an environment and related mental “meaning making” processes (Wager & Atlas, 2015; Westera, 2012). This understanding of the word ‘context’ differs from the connotation in the archeological domain, where if often refers to the circumstances and the characteristics (e.g. natural surroundings, soil etc.) of the place where an artefact is recovered, that may facilitate the interpretation of an object. The SLD design approach aims to activate students and guides them to use affordances offered in each of the environments in an attempt to stimulate and promote the learning process. Affordances are attributes of something, e.g. an object, instrument or environment, that provide an opportunity for executing some action or activity (Gibson, 1979; Rusman et al., 2024; Westera, 2012). The universities involved designed several seamless learning scenarios for learning problems identified in existing courses that may improve understanding and learning performance of students. The learning scenarios offered various digital alternatives for handling and experiencing historical objects, extended possibilities to experience and study material closely (e.g. by magnifying and turning them), enhancing 2D written material with 3D models and VR, and participating in (intertwined and designed physical and digital) activities offering alternative perspectives on the past, with the purpose to facilitate individual and collaborative sensemaking processes and thus potentially facilitate more effective, efficient and attractive learning. Learning scenarios were implemented in various archaeology and arts history courses at the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), the University of Oslo (Norway) and the University of Bonn (Germany). In most cases, learning scenarios were implemented as part of a course, e.g. as specific cases or a dedicated number of activities. In one instance - the course about the double chapel of Bonn-Schwarzrheindorf - the course was designed as a blended learning course with activities involving a 3D-modeled virtual world of the ancient Chapel every week, combined with site visits of the Chapel nowadays. Course assessment was aligned with each universities’ assessment model. We explicitly gathered students’ perspective on the use of virtual worlds and 3D‑models through focus group conversations and an online questionnaire that students completed after using the learning scenario at the end of the course. A first analysis of (part of) the data indicates that students were quite positively evaluating the alternative seamless learning scenario’s using virtual worlds or 3D‑models to facilitate their learning and the majority would prefer the use of virtual worlds and 3D‑models in combination with regular teaching and textual resources.

• Brouns, Francis; Rusman, Ellen; Firssova, Olga; Waagen, Jitte; Feuser, Stefan & Jacobs, Hanna [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2026). Students’ Voices for the Design of Virtual Worlds and Seamless Learning Scenarios in Archaeology, Ancient and Art History. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The domains of archaeology, ancient history and art history are all about context: students need to learn how to understand and interpret perspectives on the past, making use of various types of artefacts and environments, to e.g. understand the use of objects or the significance of historical events. Obtaining knowledge and skills is not limited to the classroom but develops through interaction with resources in various spaces and across time. While they can rely to some extent on material remains, written and pictorial resources, quite a lot of knowledge remains tacit and has to be inferred or deduced. In this sense the concept of ‘context’ is very important, but context is distinguished and deduced at various levels, e.g. from the material and surface of single historical objects or from complete archaeological sites. The development of this contextual awareness and analysis skills can pose some difficulties for students, as it requires the combination and application of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to assess, interpret and construct various perspectives of the past and present. Other complicating factors are constraints in time and resources. It is not always possible or feasible to travel to archaeological sites, artefacts are not always available or accessible, interpretation of written representations of historical events and resources is difficult, because it no longer fits our current views and visions, or there are not sufficient lab facilities for students to engage in practical hands-on inquiry activities. Existing educational research suggests some benefits for teaching and learning from virtual reality (VR) and 3D models. The current advances in technology also make this affordable. However, the use of technology in itself does not necessarily make it an effective educational technology to enhance learning. Literature on educational theories indicate that the technology should have a pedagogical purpose and be aligned with envisioned learning objectives, activities, outcomes and assessment, thus supporting effective learning processes (Dron, 2023; Januszewski & Molenda, 2008; Mayer, 2008; Mayer, 2017; Morel & Spector, 2023). Current trends in education show the advantages of educational models that activate learners and stimulate individual and collaborative knowledge construction (Laurillard, 2009). This together with the importance of context in archaeology and related domains, makes the seamless learning design paradigm a feasible approach for the design of virtual world learning scenarios. Seamless Learning Designs (SLD) facilitate (cross-)contextual and cross-boundary learning through technology-supported learning scenario’s using mobile and wearable devices and online technology, looking at the potential learning affordances of each environment and opportunities to facilitate learners in making meaningful connections (‘binding’) between them (Rusman et al., 2024). Context as understood within the Seamless learning design (SLD) paradigm refers to mental models learners create through interaction within an environment, which are partly influenced by the emotional state of the learner. Context is not ‘automatically’ there, but is actively created by learners through their (inter)action within an environment and related mental “meaning making” processes. Research also shows the relevance of involving all stakeholders in education, both in the design of the course as well as in learning activities. Co-design and participatory design approaches involve all stakeholders to capture their perspectives, leading to new design insights. For example, students involve stakeholders as part of course activities to stimulate understanding, for example in landscape architecture, campus archaeology or archaeology community projects (Jeffra et al., 2020; Kempenaar, 2021; Kroot & Panich, 2020; Shakour et al., 2019). In education the value of involving teachers as designers of learning material and scenarios has been acknowledged and stimulated (Garcia, 2014; Garcia et al., 2018; Muller-Schoof et al., 2023; Persico et al., 2018). Students of the ‘High Tech High Graduate School of Education’ even published a guide for teachers on how to involve students in course design and class activities to improve their learning experiences and performance (Bhakta & Meza-Ehlert, 2022). Therefore, we organised two Spring Schools as part of the Virtual Worlds project with 20 students. Each Spring School lasted five days. Students received literature and documentation to study beforehand. These documents were then discussed in a world café format, introducing students to relevant concepts. Teachers then gave lectures and workshops about virtual reality environments, 3D documentation and models, seamless learning design and course design methodology. Next, students worked in groups on the assignment for two days. On the last day they presented their findings. In the first spring school, students were asked to design learning scenarios for the use of virtual worlds in teaching archaeology. Teachers provided the learning problem and the design constraints, such as educational level, target group and learning objectives. Students received handouts and templates related to course design, but were given the freedom to design the learning scenario completely from their perspectives. In the second spring school, students learned about methods to scan and document 3D objects, applied these in various environments (e.g. a church, an excavation) and made these available in a virtual environment. At the last afternoon, students submitted an online questionnaire about their expectations and experiences of the Spring School. Students were quite positive about both Spring Schools. They valued the discussion with teachers and students, experiencing other cultures and international settings. The majority found the information they received in advance sufficient as preparation for the activity, although some participants would have welcomed information on learning design beforehand as well. They would also have welcomed more practical experiences with VR to assist them in designing the learning scenario. When asked what they liked most about the Spring School, respondents indicated the international and cultural aspects, discussion with teachers, discussing and working with fellow students and the group work; learning about VR as an educational application, and experiences with VR environments. They were satisfied with (practicing) the creation of 3D models and making these available in VR environments and learning activities. The Spring School was found successful as one of the participants remarked in the online questionnaire: “in making the students feel secure enough to brainstorm with complete strangers”. As take-home outcomes, participants mentioned the value of designing learning scenarios, the knowledge and application of VR in general and its application in education; the knowledge and application of VR to archaeology; the interdisciplinary approach and possibilities for their future studies and research; and the concept of seamless learning. Even within the short period of time, students were able to design valuable learning scenarios according to the seamless learning paradigm. They proposed a variety of learning activities, combining individual and group work both in-class and out-of-class, using VR to elaborate on and apply theoretical knowledge. Central in their designs were the didactical approaches that promoted learning processes and stimulated active learning, such as inquiry-based and collaborative learning. They ensured that prompts were used in their learning scenarios to direct the learning process. Although teachers saw the benefits of students’ suggested scenarios, they were faced with practical constraints that prevented the full implementation of the proposed scenarios. Nevertheless, the student learning scenarios provided sufficient inspiration to adapt their current learning scenario designs and implementations of (new elements in) virtual worlds.

• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van; Pantos, George Alexis; Handberg, Søren; Berg-Hansen, Inger Marie; Damlien, Hege & Kimball, Justin (2026). Facilitating Teaching with Digital 3D Models of Archaeological Artefacts. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  A fundamental part of teaching archaeology at a university level revolves around the analysis of artefacts. Access to these artefacts for teaching purposes can be limited by practical or safety considerations. For these reasons, but also to enhance the study of artefacts in ways that physical handling cannot facilitate, the use of digital 3D models of artefacts in teaching archaeology at universities has become commonplace. In our presentation, we will present our experiences using digital 3D models of artefacts for teaching undergraduate students. The cases revolve around the development of two learning scenarios in conjunction with the Erasmus+ project Virtual Worlds in Teaching Archaeology. Using the browser based BItFROST platform, the students got access to 3D models of archaeological artefacts. Through integrated functionalities in the platform, the students were given access to several tools for studying digital 3D models, such as measuring- and sectioning tools. Combined with traditional learning material such as handouts and online reference collections, the students used the integrated spots and notes functions to create spatially located notes. This was considered to be a powerful tool, since the ability of the students to observe characteristic features and describe their spatial relevance, are considered an important learning outcome for the courses. The notes could then be sent to, and opened by, the teachers on their own PC, maintaining the spatial relationship between the written notes and the features in 3D space which they describe. The presentation will focus on the implications of these learning scenarios on the teaching as well as how they were perceived by the students, through the results of a survey conducted after the scenarios were implemented.

• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van; Pantos, George Alexis; Liestøl, Gunnar; Samdal, Magne; Kristensen, Steinar & Bonelli, Letizia (2026). Engaging new audiences through digital dissemination of Norwegian rock art. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Museum of Cultural History (MCH), University of Oslo, has the administrative responsibility for over 2000 petroglyphs in southeastern Norway. The figures range from animal figures representing moose, whales and other wild animals, to boats, people and sun-figures. In the Nordic countries, it was once common to paint rock carvings to give the public the opportunity to see the figures regardless of lighting conditions, but this practice has become controversial for several reasons (Bjelland and Helberg 2006). Since painting is no longer practiced, we must investigate alternative methods to disseminate the figures and create meaningful experiences for visitors. In this presentation, we will discuss several avenues into the use of technology to create such experiences for the public. Methods and materials The MCH is collaborating with local authorities to disseminate rock art in their jurisdiction to the general public. In 2025, work commenced on several sites across southern Norway. 3D documentation produced with an Artec Leo structured light scanner, photogrammetry and Gaussian splats were combined with the detailed interpretations already held in the museum's archives. By exploiting common 3D and GIS toolsets, we were able to bring these interpretations into 3D space, allowing the visitor to switch between the non-painted and digitally repainted versions. Combining this data with publishing platform ESRI StoryMaps and 3D rendering programs provided a powerful tool for communicating some of the hardto experience characteristics of these carvings, such as the dramatic effect the position of the sun, as well as contextualize the rock art and research in simple and accessible ways. Another project at the MCH together with the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo aims to better communicate the people behind the petroglyphs through innovative technologies involves the use of the Unity-based SitSim (Situated Simulations) Augmented Reality platform (Bishop et al. 2025). Still in development, this project will deliver a mobile application which will allow visitors of a stone age rock art site in central Oslo to experience a 3D animated scene of a stone age person carving the petroglyphs, as well as a reconstruction of the surrounding environment around 7000 years ago. Results Although ongoing, some preliminary results have been positive. Firstly, these technologies allow a more interactive form of dissemination. Rather than visitors being passive consumers of information from a sign or brochure, some technologies can include them in the process or exploration and interpretation of petroglyphs. This is especially true for the second project that draws on the potential of Augmented Reality to engage the visitor with their surroundings. Secondly, these technologies allow us to go beyond reality and into the realm of reconstruction and hypothesis testing. By integrating many types of data for the reconstruction of the stone age landscape but, importantly, also considering the people who created the petroglyphs, we are forced to take a holistic approach to rock art. Discussion In the national strategy for protection of cultural heritage, the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage (Riksantikvaren) specifically mentions method development in the documentation, preservation and dissemination of rock art as a prioritization for cultural heritage management in Norway, as well as a need to further develop documentation methods and to utilize new documentation technologies for less invasive dissemination. Many petroglyphs are situated in vulnerable and remote nature areas that require careful management and benefit from methods that allow visitors to virtually visit the sites. Notable examples from Norway include “Virtuelle Vingen” and the 360° virtual tours at the Alta World Heritage Center for Rock Art. We believe that many of the approaches we employed in our projects can be directly transferred and implemented on other projects related to petroglyphs both in Norway and the rest of the world, and provide a useful base for more advanced, and integrated experiences as mixed realities technologies continue to mature.

• Mjærum, Axel; Martens, Jes; Iversen, Frode; Eriksen, Marianne Hem; Gjerpe, Lars Erik & Tsigaridas, Ann Zanette Glørstad [Show all 15 contributors for this article] (2026). Excavated Agrarian Building Sites in South-Eastern Norway, c. 2350 BC–AD 1536 (Investigations 1917–2023). doi: 10.18710/BB725X. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The dataset provides an overview of sites in south-eastern Norway where identifiable remains of buildings associated with agrarian settlements, dated to c. 2350 BC–AD 1536, have been excavated. The sites were investigated between 1917 and 2023. The dataset has been compiled in connection with the preparation for the publication “Hus og gård gjennom fire tusen år: Faglig program for undersøkelser av bosetnings- og landbruksspor fra senneolitikum til middelalder ved Kulturhistorisk museum”, Cappelen Damm Akademisk, 2026.

• Kollandsrud, Kaja & Pantos, George Alexis (2026). Hva skjer med Åltaket? Dokumentasjon og tilstandsvurdering. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Dokumentasjon i Aïoli og Qgis, beslutningsgrunnlag, foreløpige resultater av tilstandsvurdering, maleteknikk. Samarbeid mellom digdoc og malerikonservering

• Pantos, George Alexis (2026). Seljalandshellir 2017,​ multi-method mapping​ of early cross sculpture in Iceland. Full text in Research Archive
• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2026). Dissemination of rock art using digital tools. Full text in Research Archive
• Crawford, Jackson; Zilmer, Kristel & Kimball, Justin (2025). Reading Tiny Runic Amulets. doi: https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhVWcBLWRzc&t=3264s. Full text in Research Archive
• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van & Samdal, Magne (2025). Formidling av bergkunst gjennom ny teknologi. Full text in Research Archive
• Delsett, Lene Liebe; Chinsamy, Anusuya; Kimball, Justin; Brac, Mathieu Gabriel Faure; Sukhavasi, Vandith & Alam, Parvez [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2025). Swim like a fish: vertebral perspectives on the locomotory convergence of ichthyosaurs and whales. doi: https:/vertpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025_SVP_Program_Final_Final.pdf. Full text in Research Archive
• Zimmerman, Aaron; Reynard, Bruno; Kreiner, Douglas C; Stein, Holly; Hannah, Judith & Kimball, Justin [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Re-Os Lens on the Enigmatic Pogo Au District, Tintina Au Province, Alaska. Goldschmidt Conference Abstracts. 2025. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Models for low-sulfide, quartz vein hosted Au deposits are many and highly variable, whether the discussion be on relationship to magma composition, fluid source, or Au source(s) and transport. The well-endowed Tintina Au Province, spanning interior Alaska and the Yukon is exemplary, containing numerous diverse gold deposits that prove difficult to relate to one another. Pogo lacks obvious temporally related intrusion(s) for a potential Au source, even as the metamorphosed (pre-120 Ma) Devonian-Mississippian basement is filled with Cretaceous intrusions emplaced continuously from ~115-90 Ma across the region. Pogo is defined by gently northwest-dipping sheeted quartz-dominant lodes exhibiting variable pre- and post-mineralization fault-related deformation. Gold-bearing quartz lodes exhibit overprinting relations including quartz textures that present as multiple ghost breccias with multiple annealing events. Magmatism in the immediate region is restricted to ~114-112 Ma altered and mineralized peraluminous granites, the ~107 Ma Goodpaster batholith >5 km away, and ~98-93 Ma monzodiorite plutons cutting mineralization. Re-Os geochronology on Au-associated sulfides (pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite) in some Pogo deposits suggest pyrrhotite may be slightly older (~112-110 Ma). The majority of arsenopyrite (interestingly, two varieties, one with and the other without common Os) provides Re-Os ages of ~106-105 Ma. Here we address an unexpected age of ~142 Ma, determined for a highly unusual vein type at Pogo. Non-planar, hairline to 3-mm auriferous sulfide veinlets with tight squiggle-like morphologies, prominently crisscross an undefined, but seemingly early quartz generation. The mineralogy of these veins is pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite, with disseminated Au, and Bi2Te3. Both SEM and CT imaging support emplacement of the auriferous sulfide veinlets during a catastrophic event that appears to have produced nearly simultaneous sulfide-Au-Bi-Te and local quartz melt. Rounded sulfide-Au- Bi2Te3 melt-like blobs are suspended in quartz together with mostly rounded quartz grains containing the same sulfide-Au-Bi-Te mineralogy as the vein. Melting, freezing and brecciation may define a nearly instantaneous geologic time span. Significantly, initial 187Os/188Os ratios for key isochrons are chondritic. We are presently investigating quartz and Pogo’s non-magnetic pyrrhotite using Raman spectroscopy, in the context of a possible impact origin for early Pogo mineralization. Special thanks to Northern Star for samples and support.

• Pantos, George Alexis; Riel, Sjoerd Joost van; Garau, Øyvind & Harvik, Andreas (2025). 3D bilder (?) -​ Gaussian Splats og NeRF’s. Full text in Research Archive
• Sayej, Ghattas J. & Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2025). Formidling av helleristningene i Farsund Kommune – et innblikk i Lundesteinen. Full text in Research Archive
• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2025). Using 3D data in teaching archaeology at university level. Full text in Research Archive
• Bonelli, Letizia; Magin, Elisabeth Maria & Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2025). Combining Different Techniques for Documenting Medieval Runic Inscriptions. doi: 10.2312/DH.20253074. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This poster aims to discuss the limitations and benefits of different imaging techniques when capturing fine inscriptions on objects made of bone, wood and leather, with the explicit goal of producing models suitable for scientific study. The case study is conducted on a corpus of approximately 60 runic inscriptions from medieval Oslo, dating between the 11th and 13th centuries and will be published through the museums existing online web interfaces, Unimusportalen, and BItFROST.

• Indgjerd, Hallvard & Levine, Evan (2025). Maquis, Marble, & Machine Learning: Current & Future Approaches to the Classification of UAV LiDAR in Mediterranean Archaeology. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The use of UAV lidar for low-altitude, high-resolution topographic survey is becoming increasingly common in archaeological field research, offering archaeologists direct control over the collection of lidar data. However, the processing workflows and classification algorithms most commonly employed by archaeologist were developed for higher altitude, lower resolution airborne laser scanning (ALS), and are not optimizied for the higher resolution topographic data collected by UAV lidar platforms. These algorithms are also unsuitable for Mediterranean vegetation profiles and are not designed to specifically target archaeological remains. This paper evaluates existing open algorithms and processing methodologies for point cloud classification with a focus on their ability to discern archaeologically relevant features in low altitude, high resolution lidar datasets. The case studies uses data collected at ancient marble quarries on the Cycladic island of Naxos and the funerary landscape in Mølen, Norway, which present a diverse range of vegetation types, complex topography, and varied anthropic features. Looking ahead, we explore new advances in the use of deep learning for the development of semi-supervised classification models. Could the fast-paced development in machine learning lead to the creation of classifiers specifically targeted for Mediterranean landscapes and the documentation of archaeological features? We discuss possible workflows and compare test results of classification models produced from semi-supervised deep learning models to industry standard classification algorithms, exploring the strengths, weaknesses, and potential for advances in point cloud classification for archaeological enquiry. In so doing, we argue for the need to develop analytical tools designed specifically for the high resolution datasets produced by low-altitude UAV data collection in the context of archaeological feature documentation.

• Indgjerd, Hallvard; Campbell, Rosie & Boyd, Michael (2025). From Field to Lab to 3D archive: Evolution of the Keros Digital Recording Programme. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Between 2016 and 2018, the Keros Project undertook a transformative shift in its excavation methodology, towards a fully digital, paperless recording strategy (Boyd et al. 2021). Utilising the iDig application, the project streamlined field and lab data collection, as well as replacing traditional field drawings with photogrammetric models of each stratigraphic context. This approach not only enhanced the precision and efficiency of fieldwork but also laid the groundwork for the comprehensive integration of excavation data into a unified digital system. Post-excavation analyses highlighted the need for an overarching digital platform capable of encompassing the entirety of the project’s datasets—ranging from stratigraphic records and artefact data, to geospatial data and photogrammetric models. To address this, we envisioned and began developing a ‘living’ 3D database and archive (Campbell et al. 2024). This dynamic system integrates material from both the 2016–2018 excavations and earlier campaigns (2006–2008), creating a unified intra-site archive. Designed to be adaptable and extensible, this database accommodates evolving research questions, supports multivariate and scalar analyses, and facilitates collaborative workflows by allowing simultaneous access for multiple users with diverse analytical needs. This work also highlighted shortcomings in the existing recording strategies and challenges with achieving a truly heterarchical and reflexive field praxis. Many of these relate to common issues in digital field recording - ensuring safe and lossless synchronisation across poorly connected work locations with concurrent data entry; striking a balance between interpretive freedom and structured data with controlled vocabularies; adapting varied and domain specific data types and research traditions into a portal and a language accessible to all contributors. In a bid to tackle these challenges, we are developing a new open source web-based recording platform that will serve as a cornerstone of our excavation strategy for the return to Dhaskalio in Spring 2025. Inspired by the FAIR movement, the system embodies principles of accessibility and interoperability for all data within the scope of the ongoing work, and facilitates creation of FAIR archival data beyond the project. A main focus is directed towards improving the interlinking of data and deconstructing information silos. We aim to link all real-time field data with the 3D GIS archive, integrating spatial and contextual information into a seamless framework. In order to facilitate knowledge sharing across domains and fast, up-to-date overviews, we are experimenting with LLM generated summaries. The system thus aspires to support immediate data visualisation and analysis during the excavation season, enhancing decision-making processes in the field and equalising access to information to all project workers. This presentation will explore the challenges and achievements of designing and implementing these digital tools, with a focus on how they address the complexities of large-scale archaeological projects. The stages of transformation from analog recording into the first and second generation of born digital field data in the Keros-Dhaskalio excavations fits well into the explanatory model of digitalisation presented by Taylor and Dell’Unto (2021). The adoption of digital recording solutions often starts out with a skeuomorph of the analogue counterpart, which needs time to mature in the user’s experience through socialisation with the new medium before the possibilities of the new technology can fully contribute to a transformation of field practices. We believe the paperless excavations of 2016-18 partly moved into the transformatory phase, but hope to show that the current iteration is securely embedded in that stage. By exploring a wider array of technological opportunities in fieldwork and post-excavation workflows, the Keros Project demonstrates an approach to digital archaeological documentation that balances flexibility and collaboration.

• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van; Pantos, George Alexis; Andreassen, Ingvild Solberg; Handberg, Søren; Damlien, Hege & Berg-Hansen, Inger Marie [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). Using Virtual Worlds in Communicating Archaeology. doi: 10.2312/dh.20253100. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, Norway, has a long history of digitizing cultural heritage in 3D. Applications vary from exhibitions and public outreach to academic research, university and elementary school teaching.To truly engage our audiences, we are forced to think creatively. This poster presents examples from recent projects at the museum that have been exploring ways to facilitate people to look closer and use digital 3D models as a gateway to further exploration.

• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van; Bonelli, Letizia & Pantos, George Alexis (2025). Documenting and presenting material properties of archaeological artefacts in 3D. Full text in Research Archive
• Khawaja, Muhammad Arsalan; Righetto, Leonardo; Gigilashvili, Davit; Storeide, Markus Sebastian Bakken; Trumpy, Giorgio & Hardeberg, Jon Yngve [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). RTI for translucent beads. CAA2025: Digital Horizons: Embracing heritage in an evolving world. Full text in Research Archive
• Levine, Evan I.; Indgjerd, Hallvard; Kristensen, Steinar & Samdal, Magne (2024). Using UAV Lidar to Reveal Quarried Landscapes on Naxos. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The ancient marble quarries of Naxos preserve complex landscapes of resource extraction, artistic creation, and labor exploitation in the Archaic Cyclades. However, their systematic study, mapping, and integration into broader discussions of island economies and political geographies has been limited by rugged topography and dense vegetation. This paper presents the collection and analysis of UAV lidar data for two ancient quarries on Naxos and the use of these data within a broader suite of interdisciplinary fieldwork that focuses on the landscape signatures and material culture associated with marble extraction. We begin by exploring the benefits and drawbacks of UAV lidar data collection for landscape study, with particular focus on its comparison to aerial lidar data and UAV photogrammetry. We then highlight the efficacy of UAV lidar data for the detection and classification of archaeological features, and the potential for these data to build accurate models of quarries, to identify traces of extraction, and to calculate volumes of extracted marble. We conclude by discussing how these methods and datasets have informed and guided other forms of fieldwork on Naxos, as part of a multiscalar and interdisciplinary fieldwork project. In so doing, we explore if and how UAV-based lidar platforms fit into the ever-expanding toolbox of Aegean survey archaeology.

• Athanasoulis, Demetrios; Campbell, Rosie; Indgjerd, Hallvard; Knodell, Alex R.; Levine, Evan I. & Öztürk, Hüseyin Ç. (2024). Islands Unknown: Small Islands and Insular Lifeways in the Early Medieval Aegean. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Our paper examines the realities of building and experiencing Late Antique and Medieval life on small, now-uninhabited islands in the Aegean, drawing from new fieldwork on three recently documented settlements of Mikri Akradia near Milos, Vriokastro near Paros, and Megalo Viokastro near Amorgos. We argue that in our period of focus, the role of the Aegean transitioned from an internal “Mare Nostrum,” where the South Aegean was a safe and stable part of the (Eastern) Roman Empire, to a precarious seascape represented by an increased focus on naval bases and islets as strategic outposts. Concentrated building activity on each of these small islands in the 7th and 8th centuries reveals patterns of evolving purpose and function: Mikri Akradia and Vriokastro, for example, served as lookout posts, providing visibility to important sea lines and approaches to harbors on their larger island neighbors. Megalo Viokastro, on the other hand, is characterized by difficult access, defensibility, and concealed architecture, suggesting a focus on defensive planning. While these islands were home to small, isolated communities, our study highlights the interconnectedness of the Archipelago, with each island settlement playing a particular role within complex economic and political networks. Architectural planning on these confined and resource limited landscapes led to a particular local vernacular architecture, and careful study of these settlements highlights differences in size, layout, and function that point to different actors and motives behind their foundation. Reintegrating study of these small islands within broader historical and archaeological narratives highlights how their unique, localized geographies contributed to the formation of particular island identities, highlighting a unique and diverse built environment and visual culture within the Medieval Aegean.

• Knodell, Alex R.; Athanasoulis, Demetrios; Banks, Jeffrey; Belza, Anna; Campbell, Rosie & Cherry, John F. [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2024). The Small Cycladic Islands Project 2023: The Islets of Andros, Tenos, Mykonos, and Amorgos. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Small Cycladic Islands Project (SCIP) is a diachronic, comparative survey of numerous small, currently uninhabited islands in the Cycladic Archipelago of Greece. While most of these places never sustained long-term populations, they witnessed a variety of different uses in the past, including pasturage, agriculture, stopovers, refuges, and strongholds. Since 2019, SCIP has carried out systematic archaeological surveys of 68 small islands. The 2023 field season focused on 22 islets in the vicinity of Andros, Tenos, Mykonos, and Amorgos. This paper presents the results of this most recent phase of fieldwork. The goals of the 2023 season were threefold. First, we aimed to expand our coverage to the islets of the eastern Cyclades. These zones are points of comparison with the western and central Cyclades, where the project conducted fieldwork between 2019 and 2022. Second, we aimed to include more “medium-sized” islets in the survey. Earlier work on relatively large (18 square kilometers) and very small (under 1 square kilometer) islands revealed interesting patterns concerning island size and intensity and consistency of use. We had previously surveyed only two examples in a middle range between 1 and 3 square kilometers in size. In 2023 we surveyed five such islets, where the volume and variety of finds suggest a critical size threshold in this range. Finally, the 2023 field season provided an opportunity to implement a lidar-led methodology that combines intensive pedestrian survey with high-resolution remote sensing. This was an exceptionally effective survey strategy, especially for covering larger survey zones in a limited amount of time. In addition to these comparative and methodological advances, findings of particular interest include evidence of Neolithic visitation in several places; a major Early Cycladic settlement; an Archaic-Hellenistic sanctuary site; Roman fortifications and waystations; and several medieval churches and settlements.

• Bonelli, Letizia; Ruebner, Indgjerd, Hallvard; Pantos, George Alexis & Uleberg, Espen (2024). Experiences from the BItFROST Project. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.13897532. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Museum of Cultural History has been maintaining records and publishing its catalogues since the early 19th century. In recent years, the institution has been working to improve data standardisation through the adoption of common vocabularies and adapting and upgrading the data systems to incorporate developments in technology. This work includes providing access to 3D datasets acquired at the museum seen as a part of essential research and artefact stewardship. The growing recognition of the value and potential of 3D data at the museum has provided a strong incentive, but also brought new challenges of data volume, complexity, and diversity of audience. This has been identified as only one part of broader sector-wide challenges of training and re-skilling in the face of a rapidly changing technological landscape. While this paper does not presume to hold answers to the current challenges it will share recent experiences in the hope that it may contribute to ongoing discussions of the challenges of data storage and dissemination and help others facing similar predicaments. 

• Pantos, George Alexis (2024). Digitization at the Museum of Cultural History. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The presentation gives an overview of the different strands of digitzation at the museum of cultural history and presents work from all members of DigDok including the photographic section, GIS specialists as well as examples from field archaeologists at the museum. It was compiled and presented by the author identified here but represents a combined work of the section for collection managment.

• Pantos, George Alexis; Sztal, Aleksandra; Andreassen, Ingvild Solberg; Riel, Sjoerd Joost van; Handberg, Søren & Cyran, Marta (2024). Look Closer:​ Uncovering the Affordances of 3D Data in Learning and Communication. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  An exploration of attempts to use 3D material accessible to different audiences. Leaning on Universal Design Thinking 'accessible' taken in it's broadest context, to be both engaging and meaningful, not only as a compensation for specific physical or other impairments.

• Riel, Sjoerd Joost van (2024). Challenges and Methods in documenting material properties of archaeological artefacts in 3D. Full text in Research Archive
• Mjærum, Axel; Friis, Ellen Kathrine; Kimball, Justin & Gómez, Jorge Calvo (2024). Fish trapping in 3D. Technological approach to wooden Mesolithic fish traps in the Scandinavian alpine areas by 3D modelling. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Many mountain environments lack a natural fish population, which has sparked a debate regarding the introduction of fish by humans in these areas. In 2023, archaeologists excavated a 7000-year-old fish trapping enclosure system in the low alpine lake Tesse (850 masl.) in southern Norway. This discovery is the oldest known of its kind in all parts of Scandinavia and is one of the few examples of preserved Mesolithic woodworking in the region. The find provides a unique opportunity to study past fishing traditions, early woodworking, and lithic tool technologies. However, it also creates challenges in handling, documenting and interpreting the fragile and partially decomposed wooden remains. During the excavation campaign, more than 60 poles were discovered and documented in situ at site, using 2D and 3D imaging, digital measuring, and other techniques. Subsequently, eight of the best-preserved poles were documented with blue light high resolution 3D scanning technology. This work allowing a detailed examination of production and use-wear traces on the wood. By integrating various sources of data, such as analysing the use-wear on stone tools, dendrochronology studies, radiocarbon analysis, and cross-referencing with other archaeological and ethnographic evidence, this study seeks to enhance our understanding of the fish trap and related technologies. This knowledge is vital in uncovering the origins of mountain fishing.

• Indgjerd, Hallvard (2023). Back to DIY: Beyond turnkey web solutions. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Archaeologists working in the field are met with a particular set of challenges different from most other web-based database users. These include the need for mobile, battery powered recording devices, lack of network connectivity in remote areas, and the wide range of data types being collected. The paper takes the author’s experience with setting up and implementing both general purpose proprietary DBMS solutions and specially designed web-based systems for archaeological survey and excavation research projects in the Mediterranean as a starting point for discussing typical advantages and challenges inherent in the available alternatives. It then moves on to look into how the system might be developed going forward, attempting to address some of the issues encountered. While collector apps, such as FileMaker Go and ODK Collect, sets the user free from the need of server connectivity during data capture, they introduce potential issues synchronising the data back at the base, and can’t provide immediate updates on other teams’ work. iDig attempts to alleviate this by allowing for a flat, mesh-like structure of devices that can synchronise with each other in the field, but not without introducing its own ‘syncing headaches’. Most web- and browser-based solutions, like ARK, rely on a central web server storing and sending the data to each connected client device. This ensures every client sees the most up-to-date information, but requires constant network connection. A workaround for remote areas is a ‘field server’ running on a laptop or battery powered SBC, for example a Raspberry Pi. Ready-made web-based platforms offer a welcoming user experience, but they can’t (and can’t be expected to) cater for the variety of use cases and differing expectations across archaeological research projects. While customisation is certainly possible, especially in the case of open-source systems, it often requires a high degree of technical skill and understanding. Then the gap to a fully custom made solution is not so far. Instead of ready-made all-in-one solutions, the author argues it’s time (again) to consider dividing up the tasks and using multiple pieces of software that ‘does one thing, but does it well’. Increasingly user-friendly entrances to advanced and often Free/Open-Source Software packages means more of us have access to enterprise-level tools. Similarly, the recent rise of low- and no-code solution for developing (JavaScript-based) browser based apps has lowered the bar for custom development considerably, further facilitating the creation of custom user interfaces. Decoupling the database and file storage (backend) from the user interface (frontend) introduces a new level of flexibility for users and developers, but may also contribute to better data preservation and FAIR compliance. This allows for multiple routes of access to a single source of data depending on needs during recording, analysis, visualisation and outreach – or simply based on user preference. Rather than keeping data separated in different software, saved in incompatible, and sometimes proprietary file formats, the same familiar software packages can be used as frontends accessing the same data. Automated data processing, data integrity rules and safety measures can be done on the database level or within the user facing software, depending on whether it’s specific for one route of access, or it should apply to all data. In the paper, one such example will be presented. Here, a PostgreSQL with PostGIS database stores the majority of the produced datasets, and provides links to media file types. Having been set up with transparency in mind, the table structure is kept simple and naming schema human readable, ensuring that the data and links can easily be reconstructed by someone new to the system. A number of user interfaces have been set up for data recording and access, all of which can be used in parallel, and immediately see the latest state of the data. For field recording, a web-based interface (LAPP) with modules adapted to the project’s needs is accessed with mobile devices. While the web-app provides a 2D GIS with vector recording options and a simple 3D visualisation feature, more advanced GIS tasks and analysis are done in a dedicated GIS suite. For QGIS, also the project files and layer styles are stored in the PostgreSQL database, providing a file-less solution with minimal configuration for the user. As some users prefer data entry through pre-existing forms in Access or in a spreadsheet-like interface, an ODBC connection has been set up for opening the tables in Access – LibreOffice’s equivalent database software comes with PostgreSQL support pre-installed. Permissions and user management, audit trails and automated backups are all conducted within the database, ensuring a uniform security policy regardless of the user interface, and thus giving a higher level of control over e.g. GIS data creation than is typically seen.

• Campbell, Rosie; Boyd, Michael; Herbst, James; Indgjerd, Hallvard & Meyer, Nathan (2023). Building and using an integrated 3D database. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  While modelling techniques such as structure-from-motion photogrammetry are becoming more and more common in archaeological practices, rarely has it been used for more than visualisation purposes or to support the process of manual field drawings (Magnani et al., 2020). It is important to move past the phase of record keeping and visualisation, toward that of significant interpretative value. The improved capacity of computer specifications, normalisation of photogrammetric and 3D modelling as means of archaeological recording, and the increased capacities of current 3D GIS software, have created an ideal environment to develop and expand the use of the third dimension in archaeological analysis. This paper presents an example of a 3D GIS environment that incorporates site data in synthesis with image-based 3D models of each stratigraphic context and structure excavated at the site. Such a ‘true 3D GIS system’, encapsulating all the abilities of a traditional GIS, including data entry, database management, data analysis and manipulation, gives access to all excavation data within a single platform, making the tool data-driven and research-oriented. This is built as an interface for running comparative queries across the trenches and aiding site interpretation by way of spatial analysis. Furthermore, it will act as an interactive database, where site data, photographs, and specialist data and interpretations can be accessed in a single environment. The overarching goal is to improve the integration of separate classes of archaeological data – 3D, 2D GIS, tabular finds data and measurements, photographs, and descriptions – through the creation of a unified system that streamlines interpretation and analysis into a single project centred around 3D models. Data from the most recent excavations of the Early Bronze Age (EBA) site of Dhaskalio, Greece, excavated in the 2016 - 2018 field seasons are used in the current presentation. The recording strategy employed in the field is discussed in detail in Boyd et al. (2020). It included an extensive photogrammetry program, which created the basis for this project. While UAV was used for site-wide image-based models, DEMs and orthomosaics, the 3D models were mainly based on hand-held terrestrial cameras. Both intra-site and micro-level recordings were made of the architecture, stratigraphic units and layers, and other features, giving a three-dimensional representation of each taphonomic event. Finds and samples, including structured chemical sampling of all surfaces, was also recorded in three dimensions. The authors will discuss the experiences and challenges encountered when implementing the system and opening it for use by project participants with varying use cases and levels of technical know-how in the post excavation analysis and write-up phase. We aim highlight the areas where the system added analytical value, but also pinpoint pitfalls and propose workarounds for future implementations.

• Athanasoulis, Demetrios; Davis, Elizabeth R.; Indgjerd, Hallvard & Knodell, Alex R. (2023). A Small-Island Settlement in the Byzantine Aegean: Mikri Akradia, Milos. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In 2022 the Small Cycladic Islands Project (SCIP) carried out an intensive archaeological survey of Mikri Akradia, a small (c. 9 ha) islet located about two kilometers northwest of Milos. The islet was home to a Byzantine-era settlement, which in the past has been identified as a monastery dedicated to Panaghia Akradiotissa. The architectural remains include at least two churches and numerous other structures covering most of the island. In spite of the proximity to Milos—where archaeological evidence for Late Antiquity (and early Christianity) is abundant—Mikri Akradia remains poorly understood. For example, the identification as a monastery is largely speculative, based on the marginal location and the presence of churches. This paper presents the preliminary results and interpretations of SCIP’s survey of Mikri Akradia. The structural remains and pottery are among the most densely concentrated of any of the 45 islets so far surveyed by the project. In this paper, we reevaluate the claim that this island housed a monastery, and argue that it in fact is much more—a proper settlement with evidence of long-term habitation in a strategic (if somewhat challenging) location. This paper also considers the island in its broader temporal and geographic contexts, especially in relation to the Late Antique landscape of Milos. The extensive architectural and ceramic remains offer an opportunity to examine the significance of the site in dialogue with contemporary settlements throughout the Cyclades. This paper therefore sheds new light on a previously understudied Late Antique and medieval complex in a unique location.

• Aarseth, Bjarte Einar; Pantos, George Alexis & Sztal, Aleksandra (2023). DOCUMENTING CRAFT/CRAFTING DOCUMENTATION? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  tral to the work of the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo from its beginning nearly 200 years ago. While the aim has remained the same – to secure a reliable resource for future generations to study and enjoy rare and fragile artefacts – the approaches, methods and technologies used to document them have changed beyond recognition. Hand drawing, glass-plate photography and plaster-casts have been replaced by highaccuracy structured light scanning, photogrammetry and CT-scanning, and while these technologies do bring many opportunities the promise of near-perfect replication is yet to be truly realised. This presentation will take one of the ornately carved Viking Age animal-head posts uncovered during the Oseberg Ship burial excavations as its case study. This artefact is the only one of the five posts to suffer irreparable damage during the second world war and as such primarily survives today only through its earlier documentation, including an intricate hand-carved wooden replica which itself has been the subject of documentation. In exploring this chain of documentation, we will draw on the work of (Jeffrey et al., 2021), (Fredengren and Karlsson, 2019) to explore the complex interconnected relationship between artefact, record and society and contextualise the museum’s 3D documentation within a wider theoretical framework. Through this, we hope to take the long view of documentation and discuss the differences, similarities and affordances of the many approaches and how they have contributed to keeping this artefact ‘alive’ for future generations. The aim of the presentation is to critically analyse the agency of software in acquiring, accessing and interpreting digital heritage using the example of the ‘reborn digital’ collections of the Polish ccTLD (1996–2001). In the case of Web archives, the process of ‘heritage production’ is no longer merely discursive, but radically technical. The mediation of software is necessary within it at every stage. What attitude should a researcher, educator and museum adopt towards heritage produced by machines and interpreted solely through the mediation of machines?

• Parlikar, Nayan (2023). Prevalence trends and the associations of loneliness in a Norwegian adolescent population over a 24-year period-The HUNT Study. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen (2023). UniMus:Kultur – ny gjenstandsbase for arkeologi. Full text in Research Archive
• Grillini, Federico; Ferri, Lavinia de; Pantos, George Alexis & George, Sony (2023). Non-invasive study of pre-Columbian textiles combining Multi and Hyperspectral imaging. Full text in Research Archive
• Kimball, Justin (2023). Digital Excavation: ‘excavating’ micro-CT scanned soil blocks from the Gjellestad ship. Full text in Research Archive
• Kristensen, Steinar & Samdal, Magne (2023). ADED – samling og deling av utgravningsinformasjon. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Pantos, George Alexis; Kristensen, Steinar & Samdal, Magne (2023). ADED - Sharing excavation documentation. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Matsumoto, Mieko; Dell'Unto, Nicoló; Callieri, Marco; Pantos, George Alexis & Bonelli, Letizia [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Converging and diverging vocabularies - a constant strive for national agreement. Full text in Research Archive
• Bonelli, Letizia; Indgjerd, Hallvard; Pantos, George Alexis & Uleberg, Espen (2023). Experiences from the BItFROST Project: Developing a 3D repository at the Museum of Cultural History. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Bonelli, Letizia; Pantos, George Alexis; Indgjerd, Hallvard; Kristensen, Steinar & Samdal, Magne (2023). Digitizing and connecting archaeological objects and documentation. Full text in Research Archive
• Ferri, Lavinia de; Grillini, Federico; Caggiani, Maria Cristina; George, Sony; Pantos, George Alexis & legnaioli, stefano [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Multispectral and Hyperspectral Imaging for the study of archaeological pre-Columbian textiles. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Ore, Christian-Emil Smith; Dell’Unto, Nicolo; Callieri, Marco; Matsumoto, Mieko & Bonelli, Letizia [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2022). CREATING FAIR ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA IN NORWAY. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen (2022). FAIR data i norsk arkeologi. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen (2022). Innledning til sesjonen FAIR data i norsk arkeologi - dokumentasjon som tekst, bilde og 3D. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Matsumoto, Mieko; Pantos, George Alexis & Bonelli, Letizia (2022). Toward standardised vocabularies for Norwegian archaeology. Full text in Research Archive
• McGraw, Jessica Leigh; Simonsen, Margrete Figenschou & Samdal, Magne (2021). «Keiserens nye klær» – sjeldne gullbrakteater funnet i Råde. https://forskning.no/. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  For 1500 år siden ble syv gullbrakteater lagt ned ved et berg i gamle Østfold. Slike gullanheng dateres til folkevandringstid (400–550 e.Kr.), en tid preget av store samfunnsendringer.

• Uleberg, Espen; Matsumoto, Mieko; Ore, Christian-Emil Smith & Kile-Vesik, Jakob Jan Edvin (2021). Linking datasets in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Matsumoto, Mieko; Kile-Vesik, Jakob Jan Edvin; Ore, Christian-Emil Smith; Dell'Unto, Nicoló & Bonelli, Letizia [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2021). Norwegian Unimus, Nordic Collections, and ARIADNEplus. Encouraging use and re-use of Collections, Excavation Documentation, and Museum Exhibits. Full text in Research Archive
• Indgjerd, Hallvard (2021). ABANDONMENT AND REUSE - (P.) Cimadomo, (R.) Palermo, (R.) Pappalardo, (R.) Pierobon Benoit (edd.) Before/After. Transformation, Change, and Abandonment in the Roman and Late Antique Mediterranean. Pp. viii + 113, figs, b/w & colour ills, b/w & colour maps. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2020. Paper, £30. ISBN: 978-1-78969-599-1. The Classical Review. ISSN 0009-840X. 71(1), p. 198–201. doi: 10.1017/S0009840X21000160. Full text in Research Archive
• Rødsrud, Christian Løchsen & Kimball, Justin (2021). Sieving through voxels: CT-scanning for the survey and reconstruction of the Gjellestad ship. Full text in Research Archive
• Bonelli, Letizia & Poggi, Giulio (2020). Elaboration of historical DTM using vertical aerial photography for the assessment of anthropic and environmental transformations on archaeological deposits. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Since the first decades of 20th century, vertical aerial photography has become an indispensable resource for land monitoring and for the realization of topographic maps. Regular flights over the years have produced a large number of pictures, which often reflect the conditions of the landscape before the introduction of modern agriculture management systems and industrialization. The goal of our work is to assess the capabilities of the earliest historical flight in central Italy to detect both erosion and accumulation landscape processes that have occurred over the last 80 years, and how these changes may have affected the archaeological deposits. In order to obtain geospatial information from archive pictures dated to 1938-1941, we enhance the picture quality and then process the set of images with digital photogrammetry tools. By the means of an accurate topographic survey to geo-reference the project, the elaboration produces a “historical” Digital Elevation Model (hDTM); a model which reflects the geomorphological condition of the landscape at that specific time in the past. The resulting dataset is then compared with a 2012 LiDAR-derived DTM to visually and quantitatively evaluate the altimetric and geomorphologic changes. By using a case study located within a coastal plain in Southern Tuscany, Italy, the presentation aims at pointing out how “historical” DTMs can be exploited to detect local changes in geomorphology and at which level of detail. The evaluation of pros and cons of the presented methodology will be also discussed in order to determine if archive photographs can be successfully used as a predictive tool for archaeology in recognising both anthropic and natural erosion and accumulation processes, influencing archaeological fieldwork activities and research.

• Kile-Vesik, Jakob Jan Edvin & Uleberg, Espen (2020). Infrastrukturprosjektet ADED (Archaeological Digital Excavation Documentation). Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Matsumoto, Mieko; Ore, Christian-Emil Smith & Kile-Vesik, Jakob Jan Edvin (2020). Sustainable Archaeological Data in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Samdal, Magne (2020). Arkeologiske undersøkelser, en ny web app ved Kulturhistorisk museum. Full text in Research Archive
• Ahrens, Sven; Krüger, Sverre; Vangstad, Hilde; Kvalø, Frode; Indgjerd, Hallvard & Nitter, Marianne [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2020). Norske spor i greske landskap. [TV]. NRK2. doi: https:/tv.nrk.no/program/KOID75007819. Full text in Research Archive
• Matsumoto, Mieko & Uleberg, Espen (2019). Current status of georeferenced metadata visualisation in Norwegian Stone Age. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen & Kile-Vesik, Jakob Jan Edvin (2019). Prosjektet ADED (Archaeological Digital Excavation Documentation). Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen (2019). Big Data. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen; Matsumoto, Mieko; Ore, Christian-Emil Smith & Kile-Vesik, Jakob Jan Edvin (2019). Infrastructures for Archaeology in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Samdal, Magne (2019). From analogue to digitalized papers and reports. Status and benefits of transforming past knowledge for future research. Full text in Research Archive
• Uleberg, Espen & Matsumoto, Mieko (2018). Open source solutions for Norwegian Stone Age, Chaos theory, and the ADED-project (2018-2020). Full text in Research Archive
• Samdal, Magne (2018). Digital publisering av rapporter og publikasjoner ved KHM. Full text in Research Archive
• Samdal, Magne (2026). Lidar undersøkelse 2026. Gravfelt. Mølen, 4088/37, Larvik, Vestfold. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo Seksjon for samlingsforvaltning. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kulturhistorisk museum har gjennom årenes løp mottatt bekymringsmeldinger knyttet til etablering av røyser, varder, solgroper mv. på gravfeltet på Mølen. Museet har som mål å følge opp slike inngrep tettere, og gjøre en innsats for å rette opp en del av skadene. I den forbindelse ble det konkludert med at nøyaktig dokumentasjon av feltet med jevne mellomrom er nødvendig for å kunne spore endring. Kulturhistorisk museum anskaffet en drone med LIDAR-sensor i 2024, og det ble besluttet å benytte denne riggen i dokumentasjonen av feltet samme året (Samdal 2024). Resultatet av museets undersøkelse i 2026 ble sammenlignet mot museets tidligere LIDAR-undersøkelse i 2024, for dermed prøve å kunne detektere endring i gravfeltet i perioden. Egne dronefoto/ortofoto er også trukket inn i arbeidet med å detektere endring, og har vært et viktig tilskudd i prosessen. Ved å kjøre en sammenligning av punktskyene i datasettene ble det notert 46 større endringer sammenlignet med tilsvarende datasett fra 2024, med vardebygging som den største aktiviteten. 18 av de 46 endringene som kunne spores var innenfor grensene for registrerte kulturminner på Mølen (se tabell 2).

• Grue, Marja-Liisa P; Wammer, Elling Utvik; Fawsitt, Sarah; Hobberstad, Lin Cecilie; Rodum, Christian & Steen, Kristina [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). Bispevika tomt B8a. Del 2: Skipsfunnene. NMMs arkeologiske rapport 2026:4. Norsk Maritimt Museum. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne rapporten omhandler Norsk Maritimt Museums overvåkning av gravearbeider og dokumentasjon av arkeologiske funn og strukturer, i forbindelse med utbyggingen på tomt B8a i Bjørvika i 2019-2023. Tomta var opprinnelig et sjøområde nært Gamlebyen i Oslo, men ble gjenfylt på 1800-tallet. NMMs undersøkelse foregikk parallelt med NIKUs undersøkelser av området innenfor grensen for Middelalderbyen Oslo. På NMMs del av tomt B8a ble det dokumentert sjøavsatte kulturlag fra byens opprinnelse omkring år 1000 e.Kr. fram til bybrannen i 1624, samt en kort etterfølgende periode med aktivitet. I tillegg til et rikt gjenstandsmateriale, som er en kombinasjon av avfall fra byen og ting som er kastet eller mistet fra fartøyer, ble det dokumentert omfattende ballastavsetninger, fjorten bryggekonstruksjoner og sju skipsvrak. Del 2 av rapporten fra B8a omhandler skipsfunnene, mens feltundersøkelsene av kulturlag og brygger beskrives i del 1. NMMS undersøkelser på tomt B8a gjenspeiler at området i tidlig middelalder lå langt fra land, med svært liten aktivitet. I høymiddelalder lå området i utkanten av den sentrale havna, men sporene tiltar betraktelig og antyder trolig at området var mye benyttet til oppankring. Fra høymiddelalder finnes også et vesentlig antall våpen på tomt B8a, herunder både økser, sverd med mer, som kan stamme fra stridigheter i havna. Våre funn indikerer en nedgang i havneaktiviteten i senmiddelalder, som kan samstemme med den vanskelige perioden etter svartedauden og andre pester fra andre halvdel av 1300-tallet. Perioden fra rundt reformasjonen og frem til den store bybrannen i 1624 er definitivt da det er funnet mest fra på tomt B8a. I denne perioden når utvidelsen av havnekonstruksjonene, som tidligere er dokumentert på tomt B3-B7, også inn på tomt B8a. Samtlige skipsfunn gjort på tomten er også deponert i dette tidsrommet eller senere. Rundt reformasjonen begynner en sakte økning av ballastdumping i området, som øker kraftig i andre halvdel av 1500-tallet og fortsetter inn i første halvdel av 1600-tallet. Vi antar at dette indikerer et område hvor det har vært lov til- og kanskje som til og med har vært designert til å dumpe ballast og annet. Undersøkelsene våre tegner videre et alternativt bilde av Gamlebyen i perioden rett etter bybrannen i 1624; da det vanligvis antas at byen blir flyttet til Akershus-siden.

• Grue, Marja-Liisa P; Wammer, Elling Utvik; Riel, Sjoerd Joost van & Hobberstad, Lin Cecilie (2026). Bispevika tomt B8a. Del 1: Kulturlag og brygger. NMMs arkeologiske rapport 2026:1. Norsk Maritimt Museum. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne rapporten omhandler Norsk Maritimt Museums overvåkning av gravearbeider og dokumentasjon av arkeologiske funn og strukturer, i forbindelse med utbyggingen på tomt B8a i Bjørvika i 2019-2023. Tomta var opprinnelig et sjøområde nært Gamlebyen i Oslo, men ble gjenfylt på 1800-tallet. NMMs undersøkelse foregikk parallelt med NIKUs undersøkelser av området innenfor grensen for Middelalderbyen Oslo. På NMMs del av tomt B8a ble det dokumentert sjøavsatte kulturlag fra byens opprinnelse omkring år 1000 e.Kr. fram til bybrannen i 1624, samt en kort etterfølgende periode med aktivitet. I tillegg til et rikt gjenstandsmateriale, som er en kombinasjon av avfall fra byen og ting som er kastet eller mistet fra fartøyer, ble det dokumentert omfattende ballastavsetninger, fjorten bryggekonstruksjoner og sju skipsvrak. Del 1 av rapporten fra B8a omhandler kulturlag og brygger, mens feltundersøkelsene av skipsfunnene beskrives i del 2. NMMS undersøkelser på tomt B8a gjenspeiler at området i tidlig middelalder lå langt fra land, med svært liten aktivitet. I høymiddelalder lå området i utkanten av den sentrale havna, men sporene tiltar betraktelig og antyder trolig at området var mye benyttet til oppankring. Fra høymiddelalder finnes også et vesentlig antall våpen på tomt B8a, herunder både økser, sverd med mer, som kan stamme fra stridigheter i havna. Våre funn indikerer en nedgang i havneaktiviteten i senmiddelalder, som kan samstemme med den vanskelige perioden etter svartedauden og andre pester fra andre halvdel av 1300-tallet. Perioden fra rundt reformasjonen og frem til den store bybrannen i 1624 er definitivt da det er funnet mest fra på tomt B8a. I denne perioden når utvidelsen av havnekonstruksjonene, som tidligere er dokumentert på tomt B3-B7, også inn på tomt B8a. Samtlige skipsfunn gjort på tomten er også deponert i dette tidsrommet eller senere. Rundt reformasjonen begynner en sakte økning av ballastdumping i området, som øker kraftig i andre halvdel av 1500-tallet og fortsetter inn i første halvdel av 1600-tallet. Vi antar at dette indikerer et område hvor det har vært lov til- og kanskje som til og med har vært designert til å dumpe ballast og annet. Undersøkelsene våre tegner videre et alternativt bilde av Gamlebyen i perioden rett etter bybrannen i 1624; da det vanligvis antas at byen blir flyttet til Akershus-siden. Spesielt i sør er denne fasen som har mest spor etter aktivitet, i tillegg er det overraskende nok er fra denne fasen det er funnet flest konstruksjoner på NMMs side av tomt B8a.

• Samdal, Magne (2024). Lidar undersøkelse. Gravhauger. Rauland kirke, 136/3, 120. Vinje, Telemark. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo Seksjon for samlingsforvaltning. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kulturhistorisk museum har i 2024 gjennomført LIDAR-skanning av gravhauger ved Rauland kirke, tett på Totak i Vinje kommune, Telemark. Det ble blant annet utarbeidet en høyoppløselig og nøyaktig terrengmodell over området. Prosjektleder: Kjetil Loftsgarden.

• Samdal, Magne (2024). Lidar undersøkelse. Gravhauger. Vinjevatn, 65/3, 5, Vinje, Telemark. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo Seksjon for samlingsforvaltning. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kulturhistorisk museum har i 2024 gjennomført LIDAR-skanning av gravhauger på to utvalgte områder tett på Vinjevatnet i Vinje kommune, Telemark. Dette omfatter en gravhaug på Odden (Vinjevatnet 1) og flere gravhauger på Gauksland (Vinjevatnet 2). På begge områdene ble det utarbeidet høyoppløslige og nøyaktige terrengmodeller. Prosjektleder: Kjetil Loftsgarden.

• Samdal, Magne (2024). Lidar undersøkelse. Gravfelt. Asak mellom, 6/7, 7/1 m.fl. Lillestrøm kommune, Akershus fylke. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo Seksjon for samlingsforvaltning. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Det ble utført en dokumentasjon av gravfeltet på Asak mellom i Lillestrøm med LIDAR den 16.10.2024. Dette på oppdrag fra Akershus fylkeskommune, som ville undersøke potensialet med en høyoppløselig modell over feltet kontra materialet som ligger tilgjengelig på høydedata.no (najonal høydemodell). Gjennomsnittlig punkttetthet på de yngste nasjonale høydemodellene for området (2017 og 2022) ligger på 5pkt/m2. Denne undersøkelsen leverte et resultat på 555pkt/m2, og dette er en vesentlig forbedring i punkttetthet. Samtidig ser vi tendenser til at antall returer som kan behandles av sensorene er høyere i det eldre materialet (maksimalt fem returer), noe som utgjør en forskjell hvis vegetasjonen er veldig tett. Dette oppveier nok noe av forskjellen mellom det eldre materialet (2017 og 2022) kontra 2024 i tett vegetasjon, da vi kun opererer med maksimalt tre returer på vårt utstyr. På den andre siden vil en ved ytterligere arbeid med klassifisering og filtrering av rådataene, kunne oppnå et meget godt resultat med dataene etter undersøkelsen i 2024.

• Samdal, Magne (2024). Lidar undersøkelse. Røysfelt og tufter. Penne, 44/1, 12, 13, Farsund, Agder. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo Seksjon for samlingsforvaltning. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kulturhistorisk museum har i 2024 gjennomført en LIDAR-skanning av Pennefeltet på Lista i Agder. Det har vært, og kommer til å være høy aktivitet knyttet til feltet fremover, og det har derfor vært ønskelig å få tilgang til en høyoppløselig og nøyaktig terrengmodell over stedet. Dette blant annet for å kunne sjekke status på eksisterende kulturminner pr. 2024 samt gi et grunnlag for å undersøke om det er flere minner her som ikke er registrert i Riksantikvarens kulturminnebase Askeladden. Prosjektleder: David Vogt.

• Samdal, Magne (2024). Lidar undersøkelse. Gravfelt. Mølen, 4088/37, Larvik, Vestfold. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo Seksjon for samlingsforvaltning. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kulturhistorisk museum har gjennom årenes løp mottatt bekymringsmeldinger knyttet til etablering av røyser, varder, solgroper mv. på gravfeltet på Mølen. Museet har som mål å følge opp slike inngrep tettere, og gjøre en innsats for å rette opp en del av skadene. I den forbindelse vil det være nyttig å foreta regelmessige LIDAR-skanninger av gravfeltet for lettere å kunne påvise endring. Kulturhistorisk museum har nylig anskaffet en drone med LIDAR-sensor, og det ble besluttet å benytte denne i dokumentasjonen av feltet. Resultatet av museets undersøkelse i 2024 ble sammenlignet mot tidligere LIDAR-undersøkelser som er utført på Mølen, for dermed prøve å kunne detektere endring på gravfeltet over tid. Flyfoto/ortofoto ble også trukket inn i arbeidet med å detektere endring, men det har vært LIDAR-datasettene som har vært primærfokus for vår undersøkelse. Ved å kjøre en sammenligning av punktskyene i datasettene ble det notert 169 endringer fra det eldste datasettet (2008) og opp til i dag. Mange av endringene er godt synlig (solgroper, varder, voller etc), og metodikken ble kvalitetssikret ved at systemet detekterte kjente endringer i tid og rom på en god måte. Samtidig er det utfordrende å sammenligne et lavoppløselig (5 pkt/m2) LIDAR-datasett mot et høyoppløselig (1100 pkt/m2). Algoritmene vil da kunne plukke opp ulikheter mellom de ulike datasettene som er et direkte resultat av ulik oppløsning, noe det også er gitt mange eksempler på i de 169 endringene som ble sporet ved sammenligningen av materialet. Dette gjør det viktig å se på LIDAR-undersøkelsen i 2024 som et godt utgangspunkt for sammenligning mot en årlig dokumentasjon av Mølen med samme type utstyr og parameter som beskrives i denne rapporten. Prosjektleder: Ole Christian Lønaas.

• Vedeler, Marianne; Samdal, Magne & Christiansen, Linda (2023). Kartlagte matplanter fra middelalderens Oslo. Bispegata A2 og F07. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo, Arkeologisk seksjon . Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Under arkeologiske utgravninger samles det ofte inn frø og planterester. Fra middelalderens Oslo er det registrert et variert utvalg av vekster som har vært dyrket, importert eller som har vokst naturlig i området. Gjennom mange år har arkeobotanikere analysert disse restene og funnet ut hva slags arter det er. Mange av disse er matplanter. I forskningsprosjektet FOODIMPACT har vi samlet disse resultatene fra en rekke utgravninger og laget oversikter og kart som viser hvor de enkelte artene ble funnet. Utgangspunktet for kartene er en liste av planter som vi vet, eller har god grunn til å tro, ble spist og/eller brukt som medisin av mennesker i Middelalderen. Som bakgrunn for definisjonen av matplanter har vi i hovedsak tatt utgangspunkt i to publikasjoner: Wörterbuch der Pflanzennamen im Altwestnordischen av Wilhelm Heizmann og Liber Herbarum av Henrik Harpestræng.

• Vedeler, Marianne; Samdal, Magne & Christiansen, Linda (2023). Kartlagte matplanter fra middelalderens Oslo. Oslogate 7. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo, Arkeologisk seksjon . Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Under arkeologiske utgravninger samles det ofte inn frø og planterester. Fra middelalderens Oslo er det registrert et variert utvalg av vekster som har vært dyrket, importert eller som har vokst naturlig i området. Gjennom mange år har arkeobotanikere analysert disse restene og funnet ut hva slags arter det er. Mange av disse er matplanter. I forskningsprosjektet FOODIMPACT har vi samlet disse resultatene fra en rekke utgravninger og laget oversikter og kart som viser hvor de enkelte artene ble funnet. Utgangspunktet for kartene er en liste av planter som vi vet, eller har god grunn til å tro, ble spist og/eller brukt som medisin av mennesker i Middelalderen. Som bakgrunn for definisjonen av matplanter har vi i hovedsak tatt utgangspunkt i to publikasjoner: Wörterbuch der Pflanzennamen im Altwestnordischen av Wilhelm Heizmann og Liber Herbarum av Henrik Harpestræng.

• Vedeler, Marianne; Samdal, Magne & Christiansen, Linda (2023). Kartlagte matplanter fra middelalderens Oslo. Mindets tomt og Søndre felt. Kulturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo, Arkeologisk seksjon . Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Under arkeologiske utgravninger samles det ofte inn frø og planterester. Fra middelalderens Oslo er det registrert et variert utvalg av vekster som har vært dyrket, importert eller som har vokst naturlig i området. Gjennom mange år har arkeobotanikere analysert disse restene og funnet ut hva slags arter det er. Mange av disse er matplanter. I forskningsprosjektet FOODIMPACT har vi samlet disse resultatene fra en rekke utgravninger og laget oversikter og kart som viser hvor de enkelte artene ble funnet. Utgangspunktet for kartene er en liste av planter som vi vet, eller har god grunn til å tro, ble spist og/eller brukt som medisin av mennesker i Middelalderen. Som bakgrunn for definisjonen av matplanter har vi i hovedsak tatt utgangspunkt i to publikasjoner: Wörterbuch der Pflanzennamen im Altwestnordischen av Wilhelm Heizmann og Liber Herbarum av Henrik Harpestræng.

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